blackman



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1. A. L. BLAGKMAN.

APPARATUS FOR GOMPRESSING PIBROUS MATERIAL;

,986. Patented June 24, 1890.

(No Model.) 7 4 Sheets-Sheet 2. AL. BLAOKMAN. APPARATUS FOR UOMPRESSI'NGPIBROUS MATERIAL No. 430,986. Patented June 24, 1890.

Vii/memes m2 news PETERS (20,, wowwumo msnmnwu, n. a.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

A. L. BLAGKMAN. APPARATUS FOR GOM-PRESSING FIBROUS MATERIAL.

No. 430,986. Patented June 24, 1890.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

A. L. BLAOKMAN. APPARATUS FOR GOMPRESSING FIBROUS MATERIAL No. 480,986

Patented June 24, 1890.

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THE NORRIS PETERS 0a., mum-Linen, WASKANGTON, n c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT LIVINGSTON BLAOKMAN, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.-

APPARATUS FOR COMPRESSING FIBROUS MATERIAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 430,986, dated June 24,1890. Application filed April 15, 1889. Serial No. 807,831. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT LIVINGSTON BLACKMAN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, at present residing at London, in England, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Compressing Cotton or otherFibrous Materials, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has relation to an improved bale-compress car, and isdesigned to serve as a portable compress for handling and compressingbales of cotton or other material; and it has for its object to providea corn bined powerful bale-compress, actuating-motor, and car, which maybe run on railwaytracks from station to station or other location wherecotton may be stored,and may be economically operated by hydraulicpower, steam, or other force, thus saving the great additional costoftransportation incident to shipping uncompressed bales to compressingstations or to trade centers or seaboard ports.

A further object is to adapt to my balecompress car suitable appliancesfor economically handling bales of cotton or other matcrial bymechanism;

A further object is to adapt to my balecompress car suitable motor-powerto operate the bale-compress.

In the accompanying drawings similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts.

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a bale-compress car,showing the bed, the trucks, the compress, the hydraulic cylinder, thestirrup, the actuating-piston, and a connecting steam-cylinder, theforce-pumps, lifting-cranes, and an arm with fingers for removing thecompressed bale. Fig. 2 is a plan of the same, showing the arm withfingers in position below the jaws of thebale-compress, a series ofaccumulators, and connectin g-pipes.

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section taken between the jaws of thebale-compress, the sup- 7 porting sides of the car-bed, with ways forthe.

stirrup, and the stirrup in cross-section adjusted therein. Fig. at is aplan of Fig. 1, showing the arm with fingers in position to discharge acompressed bale. Fig. 5 is the same, showing the arm with fingers inposition to receive and hold the bale being com pressed.

In a rectangular car-body A of suitable depth, constructed of metalsecurely riveted together, and having a substantial top or platform Aand bottom A and mounted on trucks B, adapted to travel on railways, isa central well-like vertical opening 0 to permit of the passage of abale of material to be compressed. The curbing of this opening 0, whichlatter passes vertically through the car-bed, is so substantially framedthat the car-bed is as firm and strong at this point as at any other.

Within and along the sides of opening 0, and parallel with the sides ofthe car-bed,

grooved ways N N are constructed and adapted to receive and retain,while permitting ot the free movement of, stirrup G which operates themovable compress platen 0 which latter is arranged wholly within thecar-bed near one side of the opening 0, as shown in Fig. 1. Also withinthe car-bed, toward the end and on the side of opening 0 opposite tothat of platen O is arranged a stationary compress-platen 0 a part ofand attached to and forming an end of a stationary hydraulic cylinder 0,the latter being the first of a series of two or more of such cylindersarranged coaxially, as in a tandem engine, within the car-bed anddesigned to provide the power for operating the compressor. In Fig. 1 Ishow two of these hydraulic cylinders O and 0', provided with pistons 00 secured upon piston rod 0 which passes through suitable stuffing-boxesO to prevent the escape of fluid and terminates in a combined groovedyoke 0 adapted to receive and secure one end of the stirrup C, and aknucklejoint 1, by which itmay be connected with the piston-rod of apiston I from a steam-cylinder I, employed for returning the parts andreleasing the compressed bale. All of these parts are secured to andserve to strengthen the car-bed.

The sides of the stirrup 0, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3, pass along thesides of the car-frame A and are supported in grooved guideways N N. Theother end of the said stirrup passing along'in the grooved sidesembraces the semicircular grooved projection O of the movablecompressor-platen O 0 is a cap transversely spanning over the end of thestirrup and secured to the projection 0 for insuring the movements ofplaten '0 at all times with said stirrup.

D is an air-pump rigidly secured to and forming part of platform orcar-bed A, and is connected through pipes G by branch pipes G to pipesor chambers E forming part of the accumulators E E.

D D are hydraulic pumps rigidly secured to and forming part of thecar-bed or platform A and connected by pipes D and D with theaccumulators E E". The accumulators E, E, E and E form accumulators toaugment the force in operating hydraulic presses, and are rigidlysecured within the car-bed, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and serve to addstrength to it.

Passing vertically through the car-body is another opening 11, in whichis rigidly secured a cylindrical standard J ,Which extends above theplane of the car-bed A, and through which a device J, for supporting anddischarging compressed bales, is operated. Said supporting anddischarging device J has a horizontal arm J 2 arranged beneath thecar-bed and terminating in a grid or fingers J. Said horizontal bar issecured to a vertical shaft J which passes up through the standard J andis capable of being practically rotated and moved up and down in thestandard by means of a chain J a toothed rack, or its equivalent. Theupper end of standard J supports a bracket J which is pivoted thereto.The projecting arm of the bracket J 5 terminates in a handle J by meansof which the fingers or grid J and terminating horizontal arm J 2 may beswung to a position at right angles to its former position, ashereinafter described. To the bracket J 5 is pivoted a semicircularlever J7, provided with a projecting handle J To a suitable point of thecurved surface of the lever J 7 is attached one end of a lifting-chain Jor its equivalent, the other end of which is attached to the verticalshaft J By this device it will be seen that by raising the handle J 8the grid or fingers J, which are provided with short spikes to preventthe bales from slipping therefrom, will be lowered from a posit-ionimmediately in contact with the bottom of the car-bed, as shown in fulllines in Fig. 1, to a position shown by dotted lines in the same figure,carrying with it the compressed bale, and that by moving the arm J 6 ina direction at right angles to its normal position the fingers or grid Jwill be swung laterally, carrying the compressed bale from under andclear of the car. (See Fig. 4.) There is also rigidly secured to thecar-bed a crane H, with projecting arms 1-1 H, for lifting into positionbetweenthe platens or jaws, C C of the compress the bales of material tobe compressed. The lifting-crane His so constructed that the parts ofthe upright may telescope into each other, so that the crane may beraised when needed for use and lowered while moving. The lifting-crane His connected by suitable induction-pipes (not shown) with theforce-pumps D D and by eduction-pipes (not shown) .with thefluid-reservoir F, and is operated by hydraulic power.

F is a fluid-tank from which the pumps are supplied, and is arrangedWithin the car-bed, and F is a pipe fitted with a valve F for allowingthe water to escape from the cylinders O 0 back into tank F.

The pistons O are adapted to be operated by hydraulic power, forgenerating which I prefer to use pumps D and D as hydraulic pumps andpump D as an air-pump. The pump D is used for forcing water into theaccumulator E, and pump D is used forforcing water at a higher pressureinto the accumulator E, while pump D is designed to force compressed airinto both of the said accumulators. The accumulators EE are connected bythe cock G and are constructed to sustain the necessary pressure. Theaccumulators have each a large connecting-chamber E from which extendthe closed cylindrical chambers E or their equivalent. The pumps D D arerespectively connected by conduit-pipes D and D with the accumulators Eand E, and water under pressure is conducted, respectively, from theseaccumulators to the cylinders C and 0 through the pipes E and E, whichare provided with valves E E These valves admit of the water beingturned on to the cylinders O 0 either from the pipes E or E so as tomove the piston O by lower or higher pressure.

For providing the power to operate the compress I prefer to employaccumulators combining air and hydraulic pressure. The accumulators E Eare'used in order that the pumps may continuously work while the bale isbeing tied, thus accumulating pressure by compressing the air in theaccumulators, which makes it possible to expedite the operation ofcompressing a bale.

When operating my compress, pumps D, D, and D may be driven by st a nobtained from any source or by any other power-motor, the pumps D and I)being preferably kept constantly at work, while pump D is operated onlysufficiently to keep up the necessary supply of air. The valves E E andF having been closed, an uncompressed bale is introduced into theopening 0 between the compressing-platens O O and resting on the grid orfingers J in place. The valve E is then opened, introducing the lowerpressure behind the pistons 0 causing them to draw forward the stirrup Oand thereby close platen 0 upon platen C longitudinally, thus reducingthe bale, so that when the valve E is opened and the higher pressure isintroduced behind the pistons C the movable platen O is by the stirrup Cdrawn closer to the stationary platen 0 and the bale compressed to thedesired maximum. The bale beingwhile in this position securelybound,the

valve E is closed, and the dischargewal-ve F opened to permit of thedischarge of the water from the cylinders O C, steam may be intro-'duced into the cylinder I or any other power applied to piston C toforce the pistons C and stirrup back to their normal position, the waterfrom the cylinders C C flowing back into the tank I The compressed balebeing thus released is lowered by the grid or fingers J below the bottomof the car-bed, and by swinging the supporting-arm J 2 into a positionat right angles to its former position the compressed bale may bedischarged and the operation be repeated.

Having now fully described my invention, what I desire to protect byLetters Patent is- 1. A bale-compress car consisting of asubstantially-built deep metal frame provided with an upper platform anda bottom, internally-arranged fluid-reservoirs, pressure-accumulators,and hydraulic cylinders and externally-arranged force-pumps, andconnecting-pipes connected with and forming part of said car, the wholemounted on trucks adapted to travel on railways, and having a centralsubstantiallyframed opening provided with ways in its sides, acompressor-stirrup adjusted therein, compressor-platens arranged onopposite sides thereof, and connections, as described, for operating thecompressor-stirrup, all substantially as described.

2. In a bale-compressor car, a deep substantial metal frame having top,bottom, and suitable braces, all securely riveted together and mountedon trucks adapted to travel on railways, and having a central openingprovided with ways in its sides, in combination with horizontally andinternally arranged stirrup, longitudinally adjusted movable platen onone side, and a stationary platen and hydraulic cylinders on theopposite side of said opening, power accumulators, connectingpipes, andforce-pumps, all constructed, arranged, and adapted to operatesubstantially as described.

3. In a bale-compressor car, a substantial metal frame consisting ofsides, ends, bottom, and top securely riveted together and mounted ontrucks adapted to travel on railways, and having a vertical opening c,provided with a cylindrical standard forming apart thereof, incombination with a vertical shaft carrying a horizontal arm terminatingin fingers or a grid, handled by a lifting-chain, a supportingbracket, asemicircular lever, and a projecting handle for holding in place,lowering, and discharging a compressed bale, substantially as described.

4. In a bale-compressor car, a substantial frame A, top A, and bottom Aall securely riveted together and having acentral opening 0 and mountedon trucks B, adapted to travel on railways, in combination with ways NN, stirrup O, compressor-platens 0 C hydraulic cylinders U G, pistons 0piston-rod C and grooved yoke C adapted to work 1011- gitudinally forcompressing bales of materials, all constructed and arrangedsubstantially as described.

arranged longitudinally-opcrating hydraulic compress arranged within andsubstantially secured to the car-bed frame, in combination withsupporting and discharging device J, having a shaft J operated in avertical opening or well v through the car-bed, and a horizontal arm Jterminating in fingers or a grid J for receiving, supporting, anddischarging the compressed bale, the said device J being operated bymeans of a lifting-chain J 9 through supporting-bracket J secured to thecar-bed by a semicircular lever J and a projecting handle J allconstructed and arranged substantially as described.

6. The combination, with the rectangular horizontal frame or car-bodymounted on trucks adapted to travel on railways, .and having a centralopening, as shown, and horizontally arranged hydraulic cylinderslongitudinally secured within and forming a part of said car-body, andthe pistons working in said cylinders, of the stationary platen andmovable platen longitudinally arranged in a horizontal position withinsaid car-bed on opposite sides of the central opening, and ahorizontally arranged and operating stirrup working in Ways in the sidesof the car-bed and connecting said movable platen with the pis tons foroperating the compress, all substantially as described.

7. The combination, with the framing of a car-body mounted on trucksadapted to travel on railways, having a central opening-way through thesame, of a compress having the stationary platen at one side of saidopening, the movable platen carried to and from the same across theopening, and the connectingstirrup supported and working in waysarranged in the sides of said opening, whereby the uncompressed balesmay be inserted from above and the compressed bales removed from belowthe framing and the operation greatly facilitated, substantially asdescribed.

8. The combination, with the framing of a car-body mounted on trucksadapted to travel on railways having a central opening, acompress-cylinder secured rigidly to said frame at one side of theopening, and a movable platen on the opposite side of the same, of apiston working in the cylinder, a stirrup connected to the piston andpassing around the movable platen, and supportingguides for said stirrupmounted within the framing, substantially as described.

9. The combination, with the framing of a car-body mounted on trucksadapted to travel on railways, having an opening-way through the same,ahorizontal stationary cylinder, and compress-platen located within andbelow the level of the top of the frame,with the movable platen workingacross said opening, ofa vertically-movable and horizontally-swingin gsupport located below the opening on which the bales rest while beingcompressed and on which they are moved horizontally from beneath theframe, substantially as described.

10. The combination, with the framing of a car-body mounted onrailway-trucks, having an opening-way through the same, and a horizontalbale-compress located within and below the level of the top of theframe, with the movable platen working across said opening, of a grid orsupport for the bale, located below the opening, a vertically-movableshaft forsupportin g the grid,extending through the frame and having thearm connected thereto for rotating the same, and the lever forvertically adjusting the shaft, substantially as described.

11. In a bale-compress car mounted on trucks and adapted to travel onrailways, the combination, with a horizontally-movable platen, thecombined horizontal stationary platen and pressure-cylinders, the latterhaving pistons and a common piston-rod Working therein and adapted toconnect with a steamcylinder I and its piston-rod, and connectionsbetween the two piston-rods, of the horizontally-arranged stirrupworking in ways and secured by one end to said first-named pistonrods,and, after surrounding the cylinders and platens, secured by the otherend to the movable platen, which, when in operation, it draws toward thestationary platen, substantially as described.

12. In a bale-compress, the combination, with the horizontally arrangedand operated movable platen and the stationary platen, of a plurality ofpressure-cylinders arranged horizontally in line with each other withinand secured to a car-bed frame, and provided with suitable pistons and acommon pistonrod, of the horizontally-arranged endless stirrup securedat one end to the said piston-rod and the piston-rod I of asteam-cylinder I, and at the other end to the movablehorizontally-arranged compress-platen, for compressing bales of cottonor other materials, substantially as described.

13. In a bale-compress, the combination, with the horizontally-movableplaten and the stationary platen, of horizontal pressure-cylindersarranged in line with each other and having suitable pistons and acommon pistonrod, the latter connected to a horizontallyarrangedstirrup, which is connected by the other end to the movablecompress-platen, which, when in operation, it draws toward thestationary platen for compressing bales of cotton or other materials,substantially as described.

let. The combination, with the framingof a car-body having the centralopening and horizontal platens located on opposite sides of saidopenings, of a plurality of pressurecylinders constructed in the framein line with each other or tandem and within or below the upper surfaceof the framing, whereby a large pressure-surface may be secured withoutthe necessity of increasing the size of the cylinders so as to projectabove the framing, said cylinders each having a suitable piston workingtherein and secured on a common piston-rod, the latter connected with ahorizontally-arranged stirrup, which,-after surrounding said cylinderand the stationary platen, is connected to the movable platen, which itdraws toward the stationary platen, secured at the end of said cylinder,substantially as described.

15. In a bale-compress, the combination, with hydraulic cylinders havinga stationary compress-platen and a plurality of pistons on a commonpistonrod, the latter connected with a horizontally-arranged endlessstirrup, of presstire-accumulators connected to said cylinder byinduction-pipes having suitable valves, and of pressure-pumps connectedwith said cylinders through said accumulators, and of airpump alsoconnected therewith through said accumulators, and of endless -stirrupconnected by one end to said pistonrod and at the other to a movablecompressplaten', all constructed and arranged for operating the compresssubstantially as described.

16. A bale-compress car consisting of a substantially-built metal framesecured together, mounted on trucks adapted to travel on railways, andhaving-an upper platform and a bottom provided with a central openinghaving ways in the side walls thereof, an endless compressor-stirrupconnected by one end to a movable platen and by the other to the head ofa piston-rod, in combination with a plurality of pressure-cylinders having pistons and a stationary platen, all arranged horizontally withinand in a line with the longitudinal sides of the car-bed, substantiallyas described.

17. A bale-compressor car consisting of a substantially-built metalframe mounted as described, provided with longitudinally-arrangedhydraulic cylinders, horizontally-arranged endless stirrup, horizontalguides or ways in the car-bed to receive the same, horizontally-arrangedplatens, one of which is secured to hydraulic cylinder and the car-bedframe and the other being movable in a horizontal direction and securedto one end of the endless stirrup, the other end of which stirrup isconnected to the piston in said hydraulic cylinders, and all arrangedand adapted for operating the compress substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand in the presence of thetwo subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT LIVINGSTON BLACKMAN.

Witnesses:

ALFRED J. BOULT, HARRY B. BRIDGE.

